You won’t find THAT on the Forbe’s Best List or in Consumer Reports.
Driving while barefoot. Driving while legs crossed. Going around and around in roundabouts. Preparing notes for upcoming speech on their iphone during traffic. Watching the Big Short on the way to Texas on their iPhone velcro-ed to the visor. Left lane, right turn. Getting a concrete median strip wedged between their tires, ground, and undercarriage, tow truck man has to come and get them unstuck. Driving over a concrete median strip on purpose to do a u-turn. Center lane driver slams brakes and makes hard right onto exit ramp, barely missing right lane driver. Going the wrong got damn way! Driving back two blocks for the only available parallel parking spot, in reverse. Accidentally takes wrong ramp and panics when they see “bridge to Canada”, they drive merge back onto I-75, in reverse. Doing inappropriate activities (like searching for their zyn) while driving down a steep and curvy road. Driving over a bundle of scrap metal, needing major repairs for underbelly. Slamming brakes when they see a state trooper, completely disregarding the car tailgating them. Hitting “drive” instead of “reverse” on a parking lot, car plummets down a grassy hill. “Yeah, I’m not a good driver, but I drive a SUV/minivan/truck.”
Whew!
And yes, most of those examples are oddly specific. No, I haven’t done any of the above. Those were things my friends and family has done. And things I’ve witnessed while out and about on the road.
Seriously though. What are the best cars for the worst drivers? Some people say that bad drivers need to find the biggest vehicles possible to protect themselves and their passengers. But what about the rest of the people out on the road??? Then others say that bad drivers should find the smallest cars possible. But that’s also problematic, but for the opposite reasons! There has to be a more refined and nuanced solution.
I’d say a medium-sized sedan. Toyota or Honda. They newer the better, because of safety features. Agree? What do you recommend?
Midwest Degenerate Gambler
-Ok, it was me who got a concrete median strip stuck under my car and accidentally took the ramp that led to the bridge to Canada and reversed back onto the highway. Thank goodness it was in the middle of the night and the road was empty. Both incidents happened around 10 years ago. I’m a better driver now.
Something that’s small (parking and maneuvering), slower, more brightly colored, and not expensive, but reliable, with a low powered stereo system and minimal distractions (e.g. no entertainment/info center on the dashboard). A faraday cage that wont allow cell phones to text. Maybe a car thats not overly comfortable.
I used to wear flip flop or sandals a lot and take them off while driving, so I did drive barefoot sometimes. A flop got wedged under a pedal once, and didnt cause an accident, but was problematic (now I wear crocs, call me names if you want, I like them).
In seriousness, a “safe” car may protect a terrible driver from seriously injuring themselves, in certain cases, but it does little or nothing to keep them from being a menace to others.
Between those, lawn darts, and tetraethyl lead, it is surprising the United States hasn’t suffered so much collective brain damage that it would elect a reality television host to the presidenc…ooooh. Never mind.
'Zactly. The usual tragedy is bad drivers cause 10 wrecks for every one they participate in.
IMO the only way to get them out of the driver pool is to get them out of the gene pool with as little collateral damage as possible. Ideally before they’ve raised a subsequent generation of bad drivers.
IMO most people learn most of their driving character as a child riding w adults. Once they reach driving age they’ll learn specific skills. But their die was cast a decade previously.
An Austin Mini. Teeny, so teeny you really notice how teeny it is when you see it in person. That awareness will make you either a more careful driver or a perpetually terrified one.
Wearing inapproriate shoes like very high heels, yes, but barefoot? I walk barefoot, I drive barefoot. Just like touching the grass, touching the clutch pedal grounds you…
OK, I am joking about the last part, but it is a serious question. I passed my driver’s license barefoot (I did have backup shoes just in case)
Bare feet are soft and bendy (and touchy) compared to the steel pedals of the car. In a sudden driving situation requiring fast, quick braking etc., bare feet aren’t efficient / reliable transmitters of force. That’s the reason driving barefoot is illegal in many countries.
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